A Change of Priorities
by Taiven
Summary: What would seemingly pull a family together has pulled the Winchesters apart. Now one is becoming obsessed, another disappearing into darkness, and the last trying desperately to repair the damage made by his mistakes. [AU after DT, Vampire Dean]
1. Chapter One

A Change of Priorities

He left. Sam left that day and the truth was, he never looked back. Not once, because even though things were different this time, Sam had made the same decision. He had chosen to leave his family behind, both Dean and his father, because he had come so close to losing them. So close, and when he thought he had, the pain had been unbearable.

Only a small amount of happiness came with the news in the hospital that both of them would live. He had sat in Dean's room, his older brother unconscious, for hours after. His mind whirling with choices, both past and present, Sam had finally come to the conclusion that he was tired. Tired of hunting and worrying and fighting for his life everyday, but mostly tired of the pain he felt every time he looked at his family and wondered what he'd do if they were no more. The fact was, Sam knew he would lose them one day. It wouldn't be then, but it _would _be, and that was all he needed to know before he left. He just couldn't bear losing them, so he left them instead…

And having Sam leave was all John needed to make the same decision. He left too. He departed only a few days later and he never said goodbye. Not once did he enter the dark hospital room of his oldest son and mutter that single word. He simply left, and he never looked back either. His heart heavy with the rejection of his youngest son and revenge his obsession, he merely disappeared.

So Dean awoke to find no one by his side. He opened his eyes to be met with darkness and the terrible feeling that something was horribly wrong. He searched the room frantically for his brother and father, and when he couldn't find them his heart began to beat faster. Dean was dimly aware of the doctor entering the room and speaking softly to him, trying to calm him down. Memories of the night they had finally faced the demon that had destroyed their family replayed in his mind and he suddenly remembered the car accident. His main concern initially went towards the physical condition of his brother and father and he looked to the doctor to fill the sudden necessity of knowledge he needed to obtain.

The doctor, a man in his late forties, seemed to guess what Dean was desperately hinting with his eyes, unable to speak because of he mask over his mouth, and hesitated. Pity shone in the old man's eyes as he looked down at the weakened, anxious, and distressed man lying in the hospital bed and answered the unasked question. "Your brother and father… They survived but… I'm afraid they're gone. Your brother left a week ago, and your father just two days."

Dean's heart slowed slightly when he heard that his family had survived the car crash but it reduced to nearly a crawl as the other words left the doctor's mouth. His mind played over multiple reasons why Sam and his dad would leave him alone in a hospital, almost all including the demon, and he was unaware of the doctor leaving as his mind was now swirling with painful doubts and sudden fears.

The nagging question of why they had left on separate days began to dominate his thoughts and Dean finally let cold reality sink in. Something wasn't right. He could feel it. The heavy weight in his chest grew and a hard, painful lump formed in his throat as he suddenly understood. They had left… him. No tears came to his eyes as he simply laid there, the monitor to his left echoing within his head, for he had foreseen this almost all his life.

Somehow he had managed to push the thoughts to the back of his mind but now he let them slowly seep through the barrier he had enclosed them in so long ago.

_You're a freak._

He didn't believe the small voice in his mind at first but as it grew louder he began to listen.

_You're going to end up alone._

Because now his fear was becoming a reality and for once he was completely alone.

_They're all going to leave you…_

And now there was nothing left to hold the darkness back.


	2. Chapter Two

**Thank you all for the reviews! Sorry it took long for me to update, but I just couldn't get this chapter right. I hope it's at least all right for now. Hopefully you guys will find it satisfying. Hehehe... Anyway, if any of you haven't watched 'Devil's Trap' I suggest you don't read this because it obtains spoilers, though I'm pretty sure you all might know this already. I forgot to mention this story takes place after 'Devil's Trap' but I'm sure you already figured that one out. Hopefully. Well, enjoy!**

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Four months ago Sam had pushed back the chair from his brother's hospital bed, stood up, and walked out. Four months ago he had stared at his father, stood firm and tall in front of the man, and told him he was leaving. Four months ago Sam had left his brother and father behind him, believing things would be better for them all. 

He did not know if they would forgive him; if they would ever forget what he did that day. His life was such a disaster. Everything was wrong… and he knew that no matter what he chose to do it would still feel, in some way, amiss to him.

He tried to forget the day he said goodbye. He preoccupied his mind with other things. He didn't go back to school, for school reminded him of Jess. He didn't hunt, for hunting reminded him of his brother and father. He simply traveled the roads, having bought an old car a few weeks after he tired of buses, taxis, and trains. He put as much distance between himself and his family as he could, his estimates of their locations not nearly accurate, but good enough to keep them from meeting on the road. And he never saw the demon. Not once, for he kept well away from the evil he had witnessed from such a young age.

But his mind constantly drifted back to that one day. Three days after the accident…

_Sam stepped into his father's room. Though the man had been conscious for the past two days, the young Winchester had spent most of his time by his brother's side. Dean, unfortunately, had not woken up yet. _

_His hands were shaking as he prepared to tell his father, the only other person who truly shared in his resentment towards the demon, that he was leaving; saying goodbye at such a critical time simply because he was scared. Terrified of the future he knew would surely befall them if he were to stay. Sick of seeing his family in pain and fearing they would be killed right before his very eyes. _

_He expected his father to be furious, even though the man was lying in a hospital bed, his body too weak to stand. Sam silently walked in and stood by his side. "I'm leaving dad."_

_John looked up at his son. "Excuse me?" His voice was weak but rough._

_"I'm going." The older man simply stared at Sam, his face expressionless as he waited for more of a response. Sam hesitated. "I-I can't do it dad. I can't go on like this. The demon… I know we have one bullet left but, if this all happened because of me… maybe I should just leave. It probably wants me to come after it, I mean…" He didn't know what else to say. _

_John Winchester simply looked away. He stared straight ahead and didn't say another word. It was almost as if he were dismissing his son.Sam knew his words were not enough to make his father understand, and he knew this from experience. Simply thinking of the demon made the blood in Sam's veins bubble. It had murdered his mother and the love of his life. It had almost killed his brother, tortured Dean right in front of him as he had stood helpless. Putting the demon behind him had been almost as difficult as saying goodbye._

_Sam couldn't see the emotions his father felt but he knew they were there, and his father hiding them was something Sam had not counted on. He should have been furious, giving Sam an 'order' to remain on task. To continue to hunt the demon until they killed it, or it killed them. But now the man before him appeared to be defeated… blank… expressionless. This frightened Sam beyond belief and a sinking feeling formed in the pit of his stomach as he took his leave and exited the hospital room as silently as he had entered. _

_A million thoughts ran through the young Winchester's head as he walked down the bare hallway and found himself standing before another door, the room dark and quiet behind it. His hand rested on the doorknob and he remained still for an amount of time, his mind uncertain as to what to do next. Suddenly his hand dropped from the handle and hung limply by his side. "Goodbye Dean," was all he said, all he managed to whisper, before he continued down the hallway and out of his life. _

The guilt had almost torn Sam apart but he had made excuses to help stifle the pain and self accusations. He knew there was no justification in his decision to abandon his family, but he somehow convinced himself it was better this way. There were days, however, when he questioned his choice, wondering how in hell he had simply abandoned the only two people in the world he cared about. On these days he answered himself with a hundred explanations, claiming…

_It was the right thing to do._

_Revenge would have gotten us all killed_

_This is how it's supposed to be._

_They're safer now._

_The demon wanted me to come for it. It was a trap._

_I can't bare to lose them…_

Though he found his reasons somewhat lacking credibility, he countered with the fact that his absence would help protect his family. The demon wouldn't go after them. The demon wanted Sam, making him a hazard around the people he cared about; a beacon to the shadows in the darkness that only attracted pain and grief. Though he did worry his brother and father would find the demon again, shivering sometimes to know he wouldn't be there to back them up, he decided that it was safer for them when he wasn't around. Because horrible things seemed to happen when he was around...

_"I wanna know why." _

Unimaginable things…

_"Why did you do it?"_

So many people lost their lives because of him…

_"You mean why I killed mommy and pretty little Jess?"_

The burden was sometimes crushing…

_"Yeah."_

Because they'd still be alive…

_"You wanna know why?"_

Jess would graduate from college…

_"Because they got in the way."_

Dean would have a home…

_"In the way of what?"_

His father would have Mary…

_"My plans for you, Sammy."_

It was his fault…

_"You and all the children like you."_

Sam had killed them…

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The music echoed in the alley for a moment after the backdoor had shut, and Dean clumsily stepped down the concrete stairs. His back sunk against the dirty brick wall as his face tilted upwards and he let out a long sigh. The cold air was a nice break from the smoke infested smog within the bar, and he closed his eyes as he let the atmosphere slowly unclear the haze from his head.

There was a stunningly attractive girl waiting for him inside the bar but his mind did not dwell long on her. She was the third woman this week. This was the thirteenth bar this month. The past twenty weeks were a blur in Dean's mind; a mixture of woman, alcohol, and of course, hunting. He was on his way to the eleventh job he had worked in the last four months, and he was sure there were plenty more to come. He had begun to enjoy hunting so much more now. It was better alone. He could do things _his_ way now, without Sam as his conscience or his father as his drill sergeant.

Yet even though Dean tried to assure himself that the life he was living now was better than the one he had fought so hard to keep, the anguish within him was making it unbearably hard to continue living it. It cut into his very being, making him doubt all he had once stood for and believed in. He knew Sam had not gone back to college. His father was missing again but Dean had decided not to search for him or his brother. There was really no reason to do so. All feelings of revenge, the thoughts that had once encased his mind and included killing the demon, were now gone. They were carried solely by his father now, because Dean had abandoned all thoughts and dreams he once had shortly after he realized he had been abandoned hismelf.

He didn't think much of the future, and even though his mind continued to slip back to the past, Dean tried desperately to focus on the present. Now there was only him. Not even his Impala was with him anymore, the last link to his father and brother. His entire life was a mess and now his mind was whirling with thoughts and memories of what he wanted back so badly, but hated at the same time because he knew he shouldn't want it back. Because what he wanted had abandoned him and left him to live his life alone. To die alone, because Dean may have survived the car crash, but a part of him had also died that day. Snuffed out like a small, flickering candle on a windy, dark night.

A soft sound sent Dean's senses into alert and he stood up from his comfortable position on the wall. The noise had come from his right and he squinted in the darkness to make out what had caused it. Footsteps. He heard footsteps and suddenly there were three figures standing before him, there silhouettes dark and dangerous in the dim glow of the alley's flickering light.

His body in stance mode, Dean looked from figure to figure and was surprised when he heard one of them let out a low, amused laugh. As he was about to snarl out a nasty remark, one of them stepped forward and revealed themselves. A vampire. Dean remembered her. She was Luthor's mate, the one they had used to try to bargain for the colt. Behind her were two others, both male and probably vampires too. He didn't recognize them.

Dean's body relaxed slightly, his judgment still hazy from the alcohol he had consumed earlier. "Oh great. Not you again," he chuckled. "You here for revenge sweetheart? You want to avenge your man's death? Go ahead." Dean took a stride forward and faced the three vampires, spreading his arms out wide. "I'm here for the taking."

The female vampire smiled but the other two looked slightly nervous. "Kate, there's only one of them." The taller one whispered. "The other two could be anywhere. Maybe they knew we were coming and they're waiting inside and-"

"I seriously doubt that." Dean's voice abruptly cut in. The Winchester's tone had suddenly grown a cold edge and he was now gazing at the three silent vampires through impatient eyes, his head bent dangerously low.

Kate laughed. "So you're alone?"

"I'm alone and loving it baby." Dean answered, raising his head. He took a step forward. "I mean, now I actually get to have some fun, yah know?" He took another step. "The others, they just slowed me down. Now I get to do whatever I want." He was standing directly before the group of vampires now, his eyes looking down at Kate and a smile playing across his lips. What he said next was spoken slowly, his mouth forming each word dramatically. "Now I get to be bad."

Kate looked doubtful for a moment and the other two vampires let out low growls, but she quickly silenced them with a raise of her hand and tilted her head to the side. A playful flicker shone in her eyes as she smiled, her tongue running across the tip of her teeth. "You wanna have some fun baby? I can show you how to have fun."


	3. Chapter Three

**Wow, it really has been a** **long time since I last updated this story. _Any_ of my stories for that matter. And I sincerely apologize for that. I definitely have pushed past your limit of patience... hehehe. But I am trying! And I am still determined to finsih this story and all the others I am currently working on. **

**So here is the next chapter, which I hope lives up to your expectations. I accidentally posted it before with an added part that wasn't supposed to be seen, so hopefully none of you read it. Yikes. It's currently three in the morning so my brain isn't working quite properly. Anyway, I'm sorry again for having made you wait so ridiculously long, especially after the reviews and all, but I hope you continue to read!**

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John Winchester sat at the edge of the motel bed, his cell phone gripped firmly in his right hand and his eyes glued upon the 'send' button. His thumb hovered hesitantly above the key as doubts flickered in his mind. If he let his thumb drop he'd finally contact his youngest son. After more than five months of chasing that goddamn demon he would at last come up for air. 

Dean had been his first call. He had contacted his older son as soon as he had heard news that they were back. He should have killed them when he had the chance… John had sent Dean a text message warning him of the vampires. The few that had escaped that night had obviously found or created a new pack of filthy bloodsuckers, and now they were killing near Boston.

He had sent the message over eight days ago and still there had been no response. Though this caused worry, John simply told himself that Dean was upset about his and Sam's departure. He had no reason not to be. The older man understood but he knew Dean would have to get over it sooner or later. The boy had always wanted to go on jobs by himself. This should simply be considered a permanent solo mission, for he had plans of his own. He couldn't concern himself with the usual affairs. The Demon needed his full commitment, and when he finally killed the son of a bitch, he'd at last be able to retire from his work. He'd finally stop hunting.

Having no time to rid the world of these vampires himself, John pushed the button, pressing it firmly for a moment before releasing the pressure, snapping his phone shut, and standing up from the bed. He walked slowly over to the far wall and stared at the multitude of news clippings, pictures, weather reports, and various other papers pinned to the peeling wall.

He needed to find that demon again. He had let it slip through his fingers once, but he would not allow it to happen a second time. The next meeting would be different. He would never allow things to turn out like they had that night. Sam could have ended it that moment, all of it, but he had chosen not to. He deliberately disobeyed his father, and in the end, they had almost all been killed. He was surprised the demon hadn't finished the job.

There was now one bullet left, one chance. He'd finally destroy the massive shadow that had consumed his life once and for all. Even if he didn't make it out either.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The beep sounded again, indicating that the credit card was useless. "I'm sorry sir, but there seems to be a prob-"

"Here, use this one." Sam thrust out another one and looked expectantly at the cashier. She gave him an uncertain glance before exchanging the credit cards and swiping the new one through the small device. This time it worked.

As the young girl started to bag the items he had purchased, Sam sighed inwardly. That was his last credit card. All others had been spent to their limits and he was beginning to worry he'd run out of cash soon. Dean had always been the one to run the credit card scams. Dean wasn't there.

_And whose fault is that?_

Leaving the 24-hour drug store, the Winchester made his way to the lone car sitting in the dark parking lot. It wasn't much to look at – nothing near what the Impala had once been - scratches littering the hood and sides, rust collecting at the edges and a crack in the back window, but it got him where he needed to go.

_Which is where? _

He opened the driver's door and slumped in the seat, tossing the bag of items to the passenger side. Without shutting the door, one foot still planted on the pavement, he leaned back his head and let out an enormous sigh. He wondered where his brother and father were now...

_Still tracking the demon? Fighting another evil bastard? Having a drink in a bar? Or… _

He threw his next thought away as quickly as it had entered his mind and shook his head fiercely. They had survived without him when he had gone to college. They didn't need him as long as they had each other to watch their back. But he didn't want to think about his family at the moment. He needed to focus on _his_ situation, because he really did have no clue where he was going. What he was going to do when he reached the unknown destination. It was all just an endless blank that he could never fill.

_But you know where you can't go_.

Clasping his face in his hands Sam exhaled frustratingly and tried to clear his mind of all doubts and uncertainties plaguing it. He just needed to go _somewhere_. Anywhere. As long as he was moving he would be all right. It occupied his thoughts; let him focus on the road. He just needed a distraction…

_Ring. Ring. Ring._

_OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_

The pain was gone. His chest no longer stung when he inhaled. The headaches had vanished all together. These facts were all undoubtedly noticed by the older Winchester as his eyelids slid open. It puzzled him at first, the injuries he had sustained from the car crash five months earlier having been slow to heal, but… had the ceiling in the motel always been wooden?

Rapidly sitting up, Dean swung his head around to perceive the room he was situated in. Wood paneling bordered the four walls, a door closed to the right. The room was practically empty besides an oak dresser pushed back against the far wall and the bed he was lying on. He let out a sigh of relief. Just another one night stand he didn't remember.

Rubbing his eyes Dean pulled the covers from over him and searched for his shoes and his shirt. _Better to leave while she's gone…_ Who ever she was. Having no luck in locating his missing top or biker boots he decided to get up and search the room more thoroughly. He had to get out of here. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed he stood up and decided to first come to the conclusion of where _here_ was.

Dean walked towards the lone window situated on the left wall, the dark red curtains drawn tightly across the frame, only a soft glow around the edges of the material indicating it was day outside. He wondered how drunk he had been the previous night. It was usually rare for him to have no recollection at all.

Preparing to tug the curtains away he narrowed his eyes instinctively to shield them from the sunlight that was sure to blind him in a few moments, his eyes still attuned to the dark interior of the room. But as he drew the curtains back a different pain reached him. Not only did his eyes sting but every inch of exposed skin throbbed with pain. It felt as if he was burning alive, and he expected to smell the stench of burning flesh at any moment. However, the anguish only lasted a few seconds before he jumped to the side and out of the patch of sunlight filtering into the room.

Dean stared at the glowing light with horror, his skin still tingling from the pain. Glancing down at his exposed chest and arms, he searched for singed flesh but found no marks at all. _No scars... _When he returned his sight to the window the look of horror was replaced with a dismayed curiosity. He slowly held up his hand and tentatively reached out, pausing for a moment as his fingertips hovered just before the edge of light. Suddenly he pushed his arm forward but jerked it back just as quickly, gripping his fingers in his other hand as pain encompassed them.

An amused chuckle reached his ears and Dean swung his body in its direction. A woman stood in the now open doorway, her left shoulder lightly leaning against the frame with arms crossed before her. "It hurts less afterward" she said, straightening her form as she took a step into the room and her face became visible. "You're body's still adjusting. It's still sensitive."

Dean recognized her immediately, and after a few seconds of surprise – desperately wanting to recall the previous night's events – he snarled, "What did you do to me?"

Kate stood motionless, her arms still crossed at her chest as she smirked. "You don't remember, do you? All the _fun_ we had?"

Dean glanced uncertainly at the bed as he suddenly became increasingly aware of his bare chest. He stared firmly at the vampire. "What are you talking about?"

Kate seemed to have caught his unsure glimpse and laughed disdainfully. "You could be dead right now," she sneered. "_Should_ be dead. Making yourself vulnerable before a group of vampires? You're one lucky bastard."

"Tell me what you did!" Dean shouted, anger filling his voice, hiding the panic that lay behind it.

Kate became serious as well. "I shouldn't have to tell you Dean." she growled, her eyes wild and edgy, but she quickly regained her composure and smiled, stepping a few feet forward until she was standing right before Dean. "Sunlight hurts you," she said gently. "You're past wounds having healed…" She stroked her fingers across his chest, where once healing scars had been scattered across his skin, but he drew back at her touch, leaving her to stare blankly at him before responding, "You connect it all together."

Dean's eyebrows cut downward in genuine perplexity as he tried to sort it out, but the answer that repeatedly came up was swiftly pushed away until he couldn't ignore it any longer. After what seemed like an hour of debating within his head - though it only lasted a few seconds - Dean spoke. "No…" he breathed. "No, I'm not… Not a…"

"Vampire?" Kate asked dangerously. Dean let out a shuddered breath, blinking slowly as he cast his eyes to the wood floor. "Are you sure about that?" And in less than a moment the woman had pulled something from her belt and was thrusting it forward. Dean barely saw it coming, his mind still in confusion as to what was happening, but he felt the object enter his body. It sliced through his skin and tore its way through tissue and organs, and as he glanced down he saw the silver hilt of a dagger protruding from his abdomen.

He stared at it for a few seconds, confusion clearly present in his expression. Dean knew he should be feeling a tremendous amount of pain, but all that accompanied the injury was a slight discomfort. With increasing marvel he gripped the handle in his right hand and slowly tugged at it, the blade easily sliding from his body. As the dagger completely pulled away Dean watched in horrid fascination as the slit it had caused quickly vanished, skin rapidly stretching over it and the wound miraculously healing.

"How does it feel?" The voice erupted through his haze of astonishment and Dean was quickly thrown back to reality. Head slowly rising, the older Winchester met the smiling eyes of the vampire. "How does it feel to be bad?"


	4. Chapter Four

**Well you should know the drill by now. I apologize for taking so long to update and then I lie and tell you it will be less of a wait next time, and blah blah blah. I'll just take the time now to say I apologize in advance for all the times I take forever to update. I just want you to know, however, that I will never, and I mean _never_, quit on any of my stories. This I solemnly swear.**

Anyway, now onto the continuation of the story. Thanks for reading!!!

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Silence filled the room, disturbed only by the sounds of Dean's breathing, his chest heaving as his breaths became laboured. The dagger still clutched in his hand, his eyes still staring at the smooth skin of his abdomen, the truth suddenly hit him. But he wouldn't accept it.

"Change me back." He knew it was a useless thing to say. There was nothing Kate could do to alter what he was – even if she had been willing – and apparently she was aware of this too, for she began to laugh. "Change you back? You know that's impossible Dean."

"I don't care!" The Winchester took a step forward, dagger rising dangerously. Kate cast the weapon an amused look, her smirk never faltering. "Please Dean, you're completely overreacting. You should be thanking us."

"Shut the hell up," snarled Dean, his knuckles turning white as he tightened his grip on the hilt. "Tell me exactly what you did to me or else I'll kill you." Kate's eyebrows rose at the threat but she did not seem intimidated by the warning. "You already know Dea-"

"Just tell me!" The Winchester roared, and Kate sighed, shifting her weight as she placed a hand on her hip. Dean needed to hear the words. "I turned you." She stated simply, and then added, "We were going to kill you but I thought you showed promise. Something inside of you that was… well, _interesting_." Dean's eyes narrowed. "So I turned you and now you're one of us."

"I'm not one of you." The Winchester growled, shaking his head slowly. "I'll never be a-"

"Killer?" asked Kate, ending his sentence. "You _kill_ for a living Dean."

"No, I hunt evil things. Things like you."

"And you." She quickly cut in to add. "Besides, soon things will change. You think the sunlight is painful? The thirst hasn't hit you yet, and once it does, you'll know what true pain feels like."

"The thirst?"

"The crave for blood. Human blood."

Dean tried to shake the words from his mind but could not help but fathom the near future. If Kate was indeed telling the truth, and if he was, in fact, a turned vampire, than he would soon grow hungry, and just as she had said, he would crave human blood. But even now Dean was having a hard time accepting the fact that he was a creature he hunted, a creature of the dark. He still had time though. Time to figure this out and somehow find a cure. A way to reverse the affects and transform him into a human again, a living being. There had to be a way before-

"You can feel it, can't you?" Kate asked, interrupting the Winchester's thoughts. He gave her a puzzled look, not understanding her words. "The thirst is already upon you," she purred. "You can already smell it, taste it, _crave_ it. Your throat is dry, itchy."

"I won't give in."

Ignoring Dean's reply, Kate continued. "Soon it will begin to hurt. A stinging at the back of your throat and then a throbbing. The thirst will burn like fire through your veins, driving you insane. You'll feel it inside of you, always present, digging into your very core with ache, with such desire, such want."

"I said I won't give in!" Dean snapped, causing Kate to smirk.

"Maybe not for a while, but soon it will become unbearable. You won't be able to resist, and eventually you'll act on basic impulse. A passing man, woman, or child, and you'll attack. You'll try to hold back but your teeth will tear into their flesh and finally your thirst will be quenched, if only for a while."

Dean remained silent for a moment, trying hard not to imagine the chance that she was right. That he would somehow submit to the evilness that now plagued him. For reality was settling within him like a cold, hard pit in his stomach. After a few moments of cold digestion, finally accepting his new reality, he spoke.

"I'm leaving, and you won't be able to stop me."

Kate seemed surprised at this announcement, her brow wrinkling in confusion. "Leaving? Dean, where do you think you'll go? You're not like _them_ anymore," she spat, thrusting her arm towards the window and the city that lay beyond it. "You're not _human_."

"You can try to stop me if you like," Dean said between gritted teeth, choosing to ignore Kate's statement. "But there's no way in hell I'm staying with you and your _pack_." He made a move to walk past her, spotting his shirt on the floor by the dresser near the door.

"Hold on there Dean." Kate's arm was held out beside her, blocking his path. "We spared your life. You owe us."

"I owe you nothing." Dean's voice was low, menacing. Kate replied with the same, looming tone.

"Don't you ever deny it Dean. Not after what you've taken away from me. You and your family."

"Your mate? He deserved to die. Just like all of you do."

Twisting her arm sharply, Kate wrenched the Winchester to the side, bright sunlight spilling onto his skin. As he screamed in pain, the knife he had been holding dropping to the ground uselessly, the agony of burning once again ripped through his body. Kate leaned forward, her hand still around his neck.

"We _all_ deserve to die?" She snarled, Dean sinking to his knees as his weakened body could barely take the pain. "Then you deserve to die too Dean. Just like all of us, because you're one of us now. Welcome home." And with those words she suddenly released her grip, shoving Dean to the side where he thankfully was cast in shadow.

He watched with tapered eyes as the vampire exited the room, black boots knocking against the wooden planks and sending echoes across the floor, the side of his head resting against the hard ground. Dean waited until her footsteps disappeared and the lingering effects of pain left his body. Heaving himself upwards, he stood on shaky legs, his body still drained of strength. But he needed to leave. Now.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

When he had first seen the message Sam had been stunned. The young Winchester had sat within the car for a good, long moment, contemplating the fact that after four months of silence he had suddenly received a message from his father. After all they had gone through he had wondered hopelessly if he would ever hear from the man again, but he definitely had not been expecting this.

Co-ordinates, just like Dean used to receive when they were on the road together. At first he wondered if the numbers revealed the location of the two hunters, but then he discovered the single word printed below: "Vampires". Sam couldn't believe it. His dad was sending him on a hunt.

And he could hardly believe that he was now driving towards the position of the co-ordinates in his rusty, old car, an antique machete and crossbow stashed in the trunk. Rain pelted the windshield as the headlights cut through the darkness of the storm and lit the empty road before him. A hundred thoughts crowded his mind, mostly questions he could hardly find answers to.

_Why was he doing this?_ He had desired a distraction and he believed this would be as good as any. Or maybe it was the faint connection with his past it would bring him, transporting him back to a time his life wasn't so screwed up. However, through all these simple reasons one became evident, and he realized that he held onto the hope that the co-ordinates may ultimately lead him to his family.

_Why hadn't he called his father back?_ The shame and guilt still deeply present within him held him back from any verbal communication with his family. He had, after all, abandoned them. It was bluntly put but it was still the undeniable truth. He was fully aware of the possibility that the message could have been a distress call, asking for Sam's help if they had been captured, but he highly doubted it.

_Why had his father laid this job down on him in the first place?_ Sam had done some research in an "open until midnight" internet café just earlier and had pulled up some reports on multiple murders within Boston. All evidence clearly led to vampires, and Sam wondered why his brother and father were unable to handle this job themselves. Obviously they were still involved in hunting, but he quickly realized that their attention must be focused solely on the Demon. He feared they may have caught its trail again, but forbid himself to entertain this notion for long.

Clearing his mind of all thoughts, Sam only allowed himself to focus on the road ahead. When he arrived in Boston he'd let himself become absorbed in the hunt and not let a single distraction divert him until each and every one of the bastards were dead. Then he'd figure out what he'd do to try to fix his life, for Sam's future only appeared bleak and empty. As cold as the stormy night outside his windshield.


	5. Chapter Five

**Thank you to all my readers and reviewers!!!**

**Just to tell you all, things will start to pick up in the next chapter. _Trust me_. Oh, and John will be more involved in the later chapters, as well as another notable character.**

* * *

Coming to the edge of the alley, Dean looked out helplessly at the bustling street, hordes of people pushing their way to their separate, unconnected destinations. He had left the vampires' lair, an old, crumbling apartment building hidden deep within downtown Boston, only an hour ago. It hadn't been difficult, though he somehow got the sense that Kate had allowed him to leave. He wondered uneasily what she could possibly be planning. 

Pulling up the collar of his leather jacket, the Winchester kept close to the brick wall, hugging the shadows as if they were his only lifeline. The sunlight cascading down from the sky lit up the street with its brilliant radiance, glinting off the windows of passing cars. Dean shielded his eyes and shrunk back as a particularly shiny Corvette drove past the alley's entrance.

_"It will hurt less afterward. You're body's still adjusting. It's still sensitive."_

He would wait here until the sun was concealed, which the Winchester judged would not take long. A fairly extensive cloud was currently nearing the golden orb at a fast pace. He would still feel pain – the only time he was completely safe from the sun's rays was at night when it had set or within thick shade as he was now – but he could bear it.

Dean's mind was still in chaos, memories of the previous night lost among the turmoil. Running his tongue over his gums he was relieved to feel their smoothness, a second set of teeth yet to appear. But when he distractedly touched his abdomen he couldn't help but remember that less than an hour before it had been pierced by a dagger. Yet there was no wound. Not even a scar.

_"How does it feel? How does it feel to be bad?"_

Like shit. Despite the fact that his past injuries had miraculously healed, ridding him of the pain he had constantly endured five months after the car accident, he felt like complete crap. There was a smarting in the back of his throat that ran down his esophagus and ended somewhere deep within him. It was like a mixture between hunger and thirst, and though he did not want to admit it to himself, he knew what it was he felt.

_"The crave for blood. Human blood." _

How had he let this happen? How could he allow himself to exist now that he was one of them; the very thing he hunted? There was only one answer; he couldn't give in. He would fight the thirst, for there was no way in hell he'd submit to a vampire's desire. He'd never allow himself to become completely like the monsters, even if that meant suffering the consequences. He was strong and he could resist it

_But for how long?_

The question echoed solemnly in his mind before he finally answered it.

_As long as it takes. _

There had to be some way to reverse the transformation, to allow him to change. After all, Dean had only discovered the true existence of vampires less than half a year ago. Until then he had believed they were simply fictional, created by the fears and imagination of humans. Unlike other supernatural creatures, he had never come across any proof they existed. Not until he had faced a pack himself. He was not an expert on the vermin, and therefore, a cure may exist outside his knowledge. Until he found it, he'd slaughter them all.

_"Then you deserve to die too Dean. Just like all of us, because you're one of us now. Welcome home." _

Rubbing the back of his neck, Dean watched as shadow enveloped the busy street and he stepped out onto the sidewalk. An intense stinging encased his exposed skin but it was manageable. Exhaustion was another case. The Winchester could feel the fatigue gripping his body as he cut through throngs of people, a businessman practically yelling in his ear as he shouted to an unlucky assistant on his cell phone about his late dry cleaning. The exhaustion was like a dead weight upon his limbs and he struggled to keep walking, knowing he had to find a safe place to rest soon. His body needed time to adjust.

Stumbling between cars stopped in a traffic jam, all of which held angry drivers cursing rush hour, Dean's thoughts suddenly turned to his father.

_What would he think of me now?_

The thought was fleeting, however, and as quick as it had entered his mind it was pushed away in a wave of anger. His father was no longer a part of his life. _He_ had made that painfully clear.

The exhaustion clinging to Dean's limbs seemed to increase with each step and he soon found himself dragging his feet across the concrete as he reached the far sidewalk. He slipped into the darkness of another alley just as the sun's rays began to peak around the cloud and the street was once again alit with sunlight. Glancing at the radiance, Dean felt an overwhelming feeling of dejection. He wondered if he'd ever be able to walk freely in the daylight again without the accompanying pain.

A grim determination settling into his expression, the Winchester turned his back on the light and began to disappear into the shadows. He was not sure what they held, but they provided comfort for now.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Can you please describe the suspect again, ma'am? Maybe a little _slower_ this time?" Sam couldn't keep the annoyance from his voice as he listened to the elderly woman squawking like a mad chicken. She gave a long, frustrated sigh as he asked her to repeat her description.

"I don't have time for this!" she complained in a high-pitched tone creaking with age. "I have things to do, errands to run!"

"I understand ma'am, but it is extremely important that we get this description right. Otherwise we'll have no chance to catch the culprit."

"People these days, it's amazing what they'll do to get out of work," she grumbled as she reached for her large brim hat, plopping it on top her head and a mat of grayish hair. "Stealing from an old lady like me would have been appalling when I was a young girl. Now it seems like everyday business."

"Yes ma'am, it is truly awful how the world changes," Sam agreed, hoping to win some points with the woman before she decided to leave and deny him of the information he required. It seemed to work as the lady folded her arms across her chest and glared at him.

"He was young, maybe in his late teens. Shaggy dark hair covered his eyes. He was wearing ripped jeans, red shoes, and a black hoodie - you know the type all them young people are so fond of these days - with the hood pulled up. I didn't see his face too clearly but his teeth,-"

Sam perked up at the mention of teeth.

"-they were so very oddly shaped."

"How so, ma'am?" Sam questioned, excited by the fact that this may be firm proof that he was following the trail of a vampire.

"He had too many. And they were all pointed and jagged, like some sort of monster. Gives me nightmares sometimes." The old woman shivered before composing herself. "Now, if you would excuse me, I must be off."

Sam exited the small house as he thanked the woman and she made her way down the street, on her way to run her mysterious errands. He heaved a sigh as he walked down the street in the opposite direction, toward his broken down car and his few meager possessions.

He was somewhat proud of himself, this being his first hunt alone and already having made terrific progress in only a day. That morning he had arrived in Boston, and scouring the local newspaper he had noticed a small article tucked away in a corner. Apparently a theft had occurred the previous night, not unfamiliar in these parts of the city, but there was one strange detail. The neighbour's dog had been found dead in the backyard, drained of blood.

Upon investigation, Sam had surely caught the vampires' trail and was now prepared to follow it until he ended them all. He estimated the hunt would take less than a week, and after each and every vampire in Boston was rid of, he'd search for more. Maybe he had been wrong when he had decided against hunting. Continuing his dark career seemed to satisfy his needs. He hated the fact that it sometimes dredged up memories of his family, but mainly it kept him busy enough to forget. To forget what he had done to them.

And sometimes he just needed to forget.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

A blanketing drizzle of rain fell from the night sky, slightly muffling the sounds of the city and illuminating the edges of the alley. Huddled in the back doorway of a worn-down retail building, Dean's eyes were shut as he leaned his head against the cement wall and hugged his arms to his chest. He couldn't sleep. He could barely even move, for each attempt brought a new wave of pain crashing down on him, washing away any other feeling just as the streams of rainwater wiped the filth from the alley.

The agony had hit him full force only an hour ago, waking him from a fitful sleep after he had collapsed within this grimy alleyway, pure exhaustion having weighed him down until he could no longer go on. He had not been warned of the affects of his transformation, neither from Kate nor his knowledge of vampires, therefore leaving him exposed and unaware of the changes occurring within his body, all of which he thought had already taken place. This is what had left him tired, for although he did not know for certain how long it had been since he had been 'changed', he had no idea how long the process of conversion lasted.

He prayed he'd be released from his agony soon, because not only was this sudden adjustment exhausting, but it was also unbelievably painful as well. The torture had grown worse with each minute and he could only pray he was experiencing the peak of its torment now. His body shaking in cold silence, paralyzed with tremors of anguish, all he could do was grit his teeth and bear it.

But the pain was not the worst of his worries, for _it_ was getting worse as well. The burning in his throat had increased tremendously in intensity, and it took all he had to keep his mind focused on something other than the thirst He clenched his fists until he felt his nails dig into his skin, concentrating on the stinging in his palms, and screamed in his head.

How had everything changed so quickly and so drastically? Five months ago he had been with his family, united together in a hunt for the yellow eyed demon. Now he was somewhere within Boston, alone and wrecked by anguish as his body slowly and painfully accepted his new fate. It was all so unreal, and he simply wished it would end.

Suddenly he could take it no longer. Throwing himself forward, away from the shelter of the doorway and into the cascading rain, he ignored his suffering body and his aching head. He began to crawl into the midst of the alley as his muscles shook with the effort and he grimaced with the pain, but his thirst drove him on. It needed to be quenched, and as he found himself surrounded by falling rain he tilted his head to the darkened sky.

Fat raindrops hit his body, soaking his clothes in a matter of seconds and streaming through his hair. He could feel the large drops upon his tongue, their stinging coldness sending shivers down his spine. The water collected in his mouth, flowing down his throat as he greedily swallowed, sucking it in.

But the thirst did not disappear. It continued to scratch at his throat, to tear at it until it felt raw and bare. The pain was insufferable and the rainwater did nothing to stop it, for it felt like his throat was burning. The sensation swept across his body until his veins were lit with a raging fire. His skin was tightening, constricting with the pain that gripped him. It was excruciating. Pure agony.

His back hitting the sleek pavement below him, eyes squeezed shut, Dean screamed into the storm, hands gripped around his neck as if this could stop the pain. His feet slipped against the wet concrete as he squirmed on the ground, back arching and yells drowned out by the thunder that suddenly rumbled through the city.

He felt like he was slowly dying. He had never felt so much pain before, and he wished only to sleep. To black out and be free of the excruciating agony he was experiencing right now. After a few moments of unbearable misery, seconds that felt like an eternity, he was finally granted his wish. But just before he fell unconscious, he felt a raging throb in his mouth. It was as if razors were tearing through his upper gums, and somewhere within him it registered that he was no longer human. Not even close.


End file.
